Admitting he paid for votes and even decided whose roads would get gravel for votes, Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Greg Stowers entered a guilty plea to a federal vote-buying charge Thursday.

Stowers, 48, admitted to distributing $7,000 to be used to influence voters during the May 2004 primary election. If he receives any prison term, it will likely be a short one.

In return, he agreed to cooperate with federal investigators in their continuing election fraud investigation and agreed to testify before grand juries and at trials.

Mr. Stowers, however, will not be required to provide trial testimony against any member of his family, said Karen George, the assistant U.S. attorney who spearheaded the case.

Stowers, a Hamlin resident, is the son of longtime Lincoln County Democratic chairman Wylie Stowers and the brother of Lyle Stowers, vice chairman of the state Democratic Executive Committee.

Greg Stowers immediately resigned as Lincoln County circuit clerk and from his position on the state Democratic Executive Committee.

What I did was wrong, Stowers attorney Richard Glaser of Charlotte, N.C., read from a statement for Stowers at a press conference following his admission of guilt.

Im trying in a very small way to start to help correct my wrongs. I am cooperating fully with the United States Attorneys Office. Im being truthful about all I did and what I know others did.

Stowers was indicted with a host of others for a conspiracy to control county government in Lincoln County by buying votes, keeping some supporters property taxes low, controlling county and state government jobs and rewarding supporters by ensuring their roads were repaired.

Although Stowers admitted to organizing and leading the illegal political group, he could face only slightly more than a year in prison. When sentenced March 15 by U.S. District Judge John Copenhaver Jr., prosecutors said they would recommend he spend his sentence on home confinement if he fully cooperates with their investigation between now and March.

Stowers also agreed to not participate in politics for at least 10 years.

He told the court he gave the $7,000 in cash to Wandell Rocky Adkins, the lone co-defendant in the case to yet enter a plea agreement, although he has scheduled one. I assume he bought votes [with the cash], Stowers said.

Adkins attorney said there is not much room left in the case to manipulate for his client and said Adkins will plead guilty to an election fraud charge.

Sitting in the courtroom during Stowers plea hearing, afterwards Adkins noted hes the last defendant left standing. You ever see a snowflake on a coal pile? he said.

All I know is Greg Stowers gave me some money, said Ralph Adkins, who admitted buying votes in the Branchland area for Stowers during the 1992 primary election.

Adkins said Stowers just met me and gave me a bunch of slates.

Dingess entered a similar plea dealing with the 2004 primary election in the Harts area.

I went there more or less as a bodyguard for Rocky Adkins, he told the court. Hes a sick man.

Dingess said he carried more than $5,000 for Rocky Adkins that day. After Rocky Adkins handed a candidate slate to a potential voter, Dingess said Adkins would raise one finger if he was to pay that person $20, or two fingers if it was a $40 payment.

On Tuesday, Stowers longtime political ally Jerry Weaver, 56, entered a guilty plea and faces up to five years in prison. Weaver, who had served as Lincoln County assessor since 1981, was considered the Stowers political factions bagman.

Weaver told the court he would resign as assessor. It was unclear if he had done so Thursday.

Stowers and most of the other defendants had been fighting the charges since May, though Weaver was not indicted until August.

Originally federal prosecutors had also indicted Jackie David Adkins for vote buying, but dismissed those charges in August. On Thursday, Dingess implicated him in the election fraud case, which could cause a new indictment.

In the press conference after the guilty pleas, Acting U.S. Attorney Chuck Miller congratulated prosecutors George and Larry Ellis, along with federal and state investigators. The investigation has been ongoing at least since 2002.

For too long, the taint of election fraud has hung like a cloud over Southern West Virginia, Miller said at the press conference. I hope these [guilty pleas] send a message.

Stowers statement called on others to stop the dirty politics.

Im here today to say that what I did has to stop, his attorney read from Stowers statement. If my friends in Lincoln County are to really benefit from fair elections, vote-buying has got to stop.

We cant continue to go down the path I willingly followed over these years.

Miller said the investigation has shown corrupt politics is very widespread in Southern West Virginia.

Copenhaver had held the defendants feet to the fire, refusing their motions to continue the trial, which had been set to begin Jan. 3. The pleas wrap up the case, but Miller vowed any additional information discovered through the cooperation of Stowers or from investigators will be pursued. Wherever theyll lead, well follow, he vowed.

Federal prosecutors also have an ongoing election fraud investigation into neighboring Logan County that so far has produced seven guilty pleas. Included were two Logan County officials: County Clerk Glen Dale Hound Dog Adkins and Sheriff John Mendez.

After more than 200 years of elections in the US we apparently still have folks who don't understand the concept of "free elections". I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised if it takes a while to get the wrinkles ironed out of the election process in a land dominated by Sadaam and umpteen warlords, dictators, tribal chiefs and kings before him. Southern WV (and I think eastern KY) have been polluted with election fraud forever. Fortunately there seems to be some federal prosecutors attempting to make a serious dent in it now. Alright class, time for a pop quiz ..... where is Senator Byrd from??? Southern WV!!

So true. Notice how absent the mention of party affiliation is. If this had been Republicans the (R) would have been listed after every name. It's all uphill for Republicans, but it'b becoming more do-able.

The good thing about nailing some Rats is it puts the fear of God in them. Bush will be there until 2008 so they will think awhile before they buy votes in 2006.

The problem is those who get 20 bucks to vote will not vote if they don't get their 20 bucks. The problem for Democrats is most of the people whose votes are purchased are too dumb to keep quiet about it. If the Democrats buy votes in 2006, the feds will go in and have zero problems proving that votes were purchased.

Many families have been selling votes for several generations. It is so open that there is no way to do it and keep it quiet. There are a number of party workers who are not going to buy votes for Byrd.

When the choice is Byrd loses or they go to jail, Byrd loses will be the choice.

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